here - Health Promotion Agency

The early weeks: you
T HE ‘ BABY
BLUES’ AND
POSTNATAL
DEPRESSION
Up to 80% of mothers go through a
patch of what is known as the ‘baby
blues’, often about three or four days
after the birth. You might feel very
anxious about small things, for
example, or mildly depressed, or just
keep bursting into tears for no
apparent reason.
Baby blues may be caused by
hormone changes, tiredness,
discomfort from sore stitches or sore
breasts, or even a feeling of anticlimax
after all the excitement.
Whatever the cause, you will usually
find it only lasts a day or so. Have a
good cry if you feel like it, and try
to sleep if you can. The best help
your partner or someone close can
give is probably just to listen, give
you a reassuring hug and look after
the baby while you get some rest. If
these feelings do not go away, it may
be that you are simply not treating
yourself very well. Take time out
for treats, however small – a long
lazy bath, your favourite food or
visit a friend.
Around 10% of mothers slide into
a depression which may be quite
deep. They are taken over by a
feeling of hopelessness. They may
feel angry, but more often feel too
exhausted to be angry or even to
cope with the simplest tasks. If you
feel like this you must get help. You
should contact your GP or health
visitor and explain how you are
feeling. A partner or friend might
contact them after talking to you
about it. You can also contact the
Association for Post-Natal Illness
(see page 150) for more information.
SEX AND
CONTRACEPTION
There are no rules about when to
start making love again. If you
haven’t had stitches, you may be
eager to share the extra love you feel
with your partner. On the other
hand, if you’re tired and sore, sex
may be the last thing you have in
mind. Don’t rush into it. If it hurts,
it will be no pleasure. You may want
to use a lubricating jelly the first
time because hormone changes may
make your vagina feel drier than usual.
It can take some time for the old
feelings to come back, but they will,
and, until they do, you may both feel
happier finding other ways of being
loving and close. If you have any
worries, discuss them with your GP
or health visitor.
It’s possible for a woman to
conceive even if she has not started
her periods again or even if she is
breastfeeding. Contraception should
be discussed before you leave hospital
and again when you go for your
six-week postnatal check. In the
meantime, you could talk to your
midwife or health visitor when they
visit you at home or you could go to
your GP or family planning clinic.
The Family Planning Association
(see page 149) publishes free leaflets
about all methods of contraception.
POSSIBLE METHODS OF
CONTRACEPTION
•
The condom – this may
be the best and simplest choice
for the early weeks after
childbirth.
•
The combined pill – if
you’re not breastfeeding, start
taking this pill from the 21st
day after delivery. It won’t be
reliable for the first seven days,
so for this time you’ll have to
use some other form of
contraceptive (like a condom)
as well. Don’t take this pill if
you’re breastfeeding as it
reduces the milk flow.
Progestogen-only pill –
•
if you’re breastfeeding, you
may be offered a progestogenonly
pill, which will not affect
your milk supply. This is also
started on the 21st day after
delivery and has to be taken
at the same time every day.
There’s no evidence to suggest
that this pill affects the baby
in any way, but, even so, some
women prefer not to take any
form of contraceptive pill while
they are breastfeeding and use
another form of contraception
instead.
•
Cap or diaphragm –
these can be used six weeks
after delivery. Your old one
probably won’t fit. Have a
new one fitted at your
postnatal check-up.
IUD (intra-uterine
•
device) – this can be fitted
at your postnatal check-up
when the womb is back to its
normal size.
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